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tv   ABC World News Now  ABC  January 11, 2013 1:40am-4:00am PST

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♪ two inches apart, becky. two inches. t-minus nine minutes. [ ding ] [ female announcer ] pillsbury cinnamon rolls. let the making begin. ♪ faster than mandy can hang up on mr. monday. you hang up first. [ female announcer ] in just 60 seconds, you've got snack-defying, satisfying totino's pizza rolls. [ ringing ] it's on. let's roll. totino's pizza rolls. [ ringing ] ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta.
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♪ sadly, this is becoming an all too familiar story. we learned yesterday that former pro football player junior seau who killed himself did in fact have degenerative brain disease. >> seau now one of dozens of players died of cte which is found in people that have suffered repetitive head trauma. abc's jim avila has more.
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>> reporter: junior seau, who over a 20-year career made an estimated 150 bruising tackles. most of them head first. >> junior seau. >> he would come home and hit the blackout button in the bedroom. >> reporter: and in medical documents obtained by abc news and espn and confirmed in an exclusive interview with his family, we learned for the first time that this monitor in the middle, who killed himself last year, suffered severe brain damage from repeated blows to the head. >> at the end of the game, is it really worth it? >> reporter: his family donated his brain to science, the national institutes of health found evidence of hardened brain cells like these. telltale signs of chronic traumatic disease. >> all concurred with the diagnosis of cte. >> reporter: chronic blows to the head, including concussions,
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can cause cte. the symptoms include dementia, mood swings and depression severe enough to lead to suicide. >> the combination of depression and lack of impulse control probably contributes to the suicide we see in this group of individuals. >> reporter: researchers have documented 50 football players stricken by cte, 35 nfl players, 6 high school players. >> chronic traumatic encephlopathy is not being seen in individuals without repetitive head injury. >> reporter: this revelation has summoned the nfl, questioning their own health. >> at times i do forget things, the sleepless nights you may have, you start to wonder are you down that path towards cte? >> reporter: the seau family noticed his change in personality in the last years of his life. from outgoing, hard charging family leader, to withdrawn
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loner who ended it all by shooting himself in the chest, leaving this three word on a text to his children and ex-wife. what did he say? >> just three words, i love you. >> that was the last we heard. >> reporter: none of his children play football anymore. and that's fine with their mother. >> i think it's a gamble. if you want to play the sport, know what you could be in for. >> it's not worth it for me to not have a dad. so to me, it's not worth it. >> reporter: the nfl says it will continue to finance research into cte and acknowledges it has more work to do and promises to do it. jim avila, abc news, new york. >> so far the nfl has set aside about $100 million for research into this issue. but now they're facing more than 4,000 lawsuits from retired players who are wondering what the impact on their brain has been. >> you heard what the former players say when they have lost memory or not feeling well, could they be on the path of cte? this is really scary stuff for
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them. in february 2011, dave dorsen, a former chicago bears player, he too shot himself in the chest. he wanted his brain donated for research. doctors determined he had cte. >> it's a new era for the nfl. player safety is a top concern. that's why they've changed the rules about helmet to helmet contact. we're in a new era where we're learning the effects of these hits on their bodies. keep that in mind as we cheer on our team on sunday. still ahead, let's lighten the mood a little bit here. time to raise a glass for a good cause. >> we will introduce you to a new beer and you'll want to toast the guys brewing it. you're watching "world news now." toast the guys brewing it. you're watching "world news now." "world news now"
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♪ what is a better way to spend this weekend than drinking, but for a great cause. >> for a great cause. is there any other reason to make this one our favorite story of the day? believe it or not, there is. there's some breweries that are creating a new beer and the proceeds go to survivors of super storm sandy. here's wabc's kristen thorn. >> reporter: it's not too often you can say that you're drinking beer for charity. but now you can. it's called surge protector, sandy relief ale. >> it's a true collaboration. >> reporter: eight breweries came together and created the ipa with one goal -- to raise money for those on the island still recovering from super storm sandy. one of those is one of their own, barrier brewing company in oceanside that was wiped out by the storm. >> we are stronger together than
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we are separate. this is a good demonstration of that. >> reporter: the eight breweries donated all the ingredients. >> the main ingredients of barley and hopps were all chipped in by everybody. >> and collaborated on the recipe. >> it is very hoppy, so it has the siteerous and pine flavors of the hops. >> reporter: it was brewed, bottled and labeled at blue point brewing company. >> the buzz is definitely starting to build and i think people will be psyched when it does finally come out. >> reporter: all the beer will be given to a distributor here on long island who will sell the beer to local beer stores. all the money that the distributor collects will be given to barrier brewing and long island cares. keep an eye out for the beer in stores beginning january 22. >> very cool story. there was already a plan under way to do a documentary about this flourishing beer business on long island. but after the storm, the mission changed. >> i'll have some. >> sunny is such a good sport. look at you. now it's time for "the mix." >> sunny is such a good sport.
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in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. um, hello. these ugly stains are ruining my good looks and style. and good luck using that cleaner. excuse me, miss ? he's right. those are tough hard water stains, and that cleaner's not gonna cut it. truth is, 85% of us have hard water and many don't even know it. you need lime-a-way. lime-a-way is specially formulated to conquer hard water stains. it's 4 times more effective at removing lime scale than the leading bathroom cleaner. see the lime-a-way difference or your money back.
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now it's time for "the mix." there's a new report coming out today that outlines the staggering amount of food that we just waste. apparently, out of 4.4 billion tons produced each year, 50% goes to waste. they sort of blame it on a variety of factors, including overly strict sell by dates. sometimes crops are rejected by supermarkets because they fail to meet this cosmetic appearance standard. it's just really something that -- so many people are starving, yet we waste so much. >> half, that's crazy. >> because of cosmetic reasons sometime s check this story out. north california police bust into a home to bust this guy for marijuana. but look what he had protecting his weed. this alligator creature, mr. teeth. he was protecting about $300,000
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worth of marijuana. now the guy got charged with the weed and not having a license for this critter. and guess what? mr. teeth died on wednesday. it was very sick when it got there. maybe it had too many special brownies. we don't know. but here's your polka. ♪ politics and foreign wars all the weather, all the scores ♪ ♪ that's the "world news" polka ♪ ♪ tapes that roll in way too slow ♪ ♪ that's the "world news" polka ♪ ♪ it's late at night, you're wide awake ♪ ♪ so grab your "world news now" mug ♪ ♪ and everybody dance every anchor, every gal do the "world news" polka ♪
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♪ that's the "world news" polka ♪ ♪ that's the "world news" polka ♪ ♪ they make us work the graveyard shift ♪ ♪ that's why we go for broke ♪ so why don't you tune into abc and play a little joke ♪ ♪ five whole days every week ♪ we are here tongue and cheek ♪ do the "world news" polka ♪ i said, now do the "world news" polka ♪ thank you, thank you very much. thank you, thank you very much.
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this morning on "world news now," double trouble. it's not just the flu now. there is another virus making americans sick. >> as hospitals scramble to treat everyone, at least one school district is shutting down today for safety's sake. it's friday, january 11. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." we thought just the flu stuff was scary. now another critter is out there making people sick. the news keeps getting better. welcome to your weekend, everybody. happy friday and good morning. i'm rob nelson. >> and i'm sunny hostin in for paula faris. we'll explain why that second virus on top of the flu should really be taken seriously. also this morning, taking mother nature seriously. a winter blast is blowing from
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coast to coast after the gulf region recovers from january tornadoes. accuweather will bring us up to date. >> messy times for a large swath of the country. also later this half hour, when prescription sleeping pills do more harm than good. well, the government is calling for changes to these remedies. an important topic for all of you insomniacs out there. >> that's right. >> i've never been a big -- what is it called? the ambien stuff, but i'll pop a tylenol p.m. so we've got to take those things a little more carefully. and then in "the skinny," kelly ripka wants to make a huge change in her life and it's part of a multimillion dollar decision. we'll bring you the scoop. >> get a little glimpse into how miss ripka is living. >> it's fascinating. >> it is pretty cool.
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before all of that, this year's fierce outbreak of the flu is forcing even more communities to take action. outside of tulsa, oklahoma, no one is going to school today because a quarter of the students are already sick. >> the extreme measures are keeping big city hospitals busy. as abc's linsey davis reports. >> reporter: all day long, dr. ron walls is rushing down the hall. a squirt of hand sanitizer and he's off to battle more flu. >> it's going to take you two or three weeks to feel really good again. >> reporter: he's wearing a face mask because he can't afford to be sick. not now with bringham hospital overrun with flu case s this patient has been battling the flu for ten days now. >> you've been coughing a lot? >> yes. >> what are you bringing up with the cough? >> reporter: while we were there, the cases mounted. so much so, the hospital sounded an all hands on deck code amber alert. >> it's basically a disaster notification that we use when we have a large number of things to deal with. >> reporter: at holy name hospital in new jersey, dr. randy tarticoff is battling against the tide.
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>> we're all a little overwhelmed, not only the practitioners, but the caregivers in general. >> reporter: numbers are so great, he isn't even administering flu tests but handing out treatment. >> a lot of what we do is simple supportive care, making them feel better. >> reporter: the most vulnerable patients, children and the elderly. but this flu can also have deadly consequences for healthy adults. strong immune systems can sometimes overreact and destroy healthy tissues along with the flu itself. this year, there's a double threat. not only is flu rampant, so is a nasty stomach bug called the norovirus. now widespread throughout the country. it's also very contagious, and another serious concern for hospitals. a perfect storm of sickness, which is why 45,000 people in boston got an automated call from the city. >> residents who have not been vaccinated against the flu this year are urged to get
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vaccinated. >> reporter: dr. walls for one is hoping people listen. he knows better than anyone the flu haant hit its peak yet. so far this season, this hospital has treated 280 confirmed flu cases. in all of last year, they only had 63. yet this is another hospital where doctors say they're getting beyond the point of testing every patient. at this point, the focus is treating them. linsey davis, abc news, boston. >> to show you how serious this is getting, the roman catholic churches in the boston area are taking precautions to limit how this thing is spreading because it's spreading so fast. so the communion wine, not going to share that anymore. they're telling the parishioners to bow instead of shaking hands. telling the priests as you put the wafer in the person's mouth, be careful not to touch their tongue. >> i never thought the chalice should be shared. i was always sort of freaked out by that. but you've got to take these precautions. it's a virus. you can get it by touching things. something has to be done. it really is affecting so many
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people and children and the elderly and people are dying. >> it's scary. and you think about the number of things we touch all day, whether it's the handle on the microwave, the doorknob to the bathroom, whatever you're touching it could all be there. and you can go out and infect as many as three to five people without knowing you have it. >> exactly. >> it is strange. everyone just be careful and get the shot. which i promise you i will do this weekend. >> please. >> i promise. >> you've been coughing a little bit. >> i know. might as well read the next one. late last night, a colorado judge decided that there is enough evidence for accused movie theater gunman james holmes to stand trial. the decision follows a three-day hearing during which prosecutors laid out their case. holmes faces 166 felony counts. he's accused of killing 12 people and injuring 70 last july. he will be in court today, but his lawyers say they're not ready to enter a plea.
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former penn state assistant coach jerry sandusky is in a new legal fight. he was in court yesterday, where his attorneys opened their battle for a new trial. they claim they did not have enough time to prepare for his trial on child molestation charges. >> our position was you can't take 6,400, 6,500 pages and give them to a lawyer and say okay, now, start the trial real soon. >> the information that we're talking about that was turned over to the defense in may, a month before the trial, largely had nothing to do with these victims. >> as you remember, sandusky was convicted last june and sentenced to at least 30 years. the judge is expected to issue a ruling about a new trial next week. sandusky's attorney says if their motion is denied, they will appeal in pennsylvania's superior court. the son of former nfl star junior seau says he's not surprised his father suffered from a brain disease before committing suicide last may. a study by the national
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institutes of health found seau suffered from a degenerative disease often associated with repeated blows to the head. he joins a list of several dozen former players who were found to have that disease. when major league baseball players get back to work, they will be facing an increased number of tests for illegal drugs. a deal between management and the players means human growth hormone testing will be conducted throughout the season instead of just during spring training. urine and blood tests will be administered and each player will be tested at least once. >> that news coming this week. and with that hall of fame news, no one got in. so interesting times for major league baseball. in other news this morning, stormy weather is finally moving out of southern louisiana after days of drenching rain and violent storms there. surveillance video captured a tornado yesterday morning as it descended on a chemical plant near baton rouge. the twister damaged the roof but thankfully no one was injured.
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some towns got more than 11 inches of rain in just 24 hours. with more rain expected this weekend, some rivers and streams are now approaching flood stage. and a wave of arctic air and snow hovering over southern california has forced the shutdown of a major highway. as snow came down, interstate 5 was closed just north of l.a. the cold weather is expected to continue through the weekend and the coastal areas could see 60-mile-an-hour winds and high tides of more than seven feet. you don't think about that kind of weather when you think of west coast life out there in cali. that storm out west is moving across the country, putting an end to spring-like conditions. >> and accuweather meteorologist jim dickey is tracking the winter blast. good morning, jim. >> good morning. a mess on our hands here today across the upper midwest and the northern plains. the front range of the rockies, area of low pressure moves north and east, an icy mix in minnesota with wind-driven snow in the dakotas, here.
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especially north north dakota. blizzard conditions tonight, travel conditions will be dangerous, if not impossible. the pattern for this weekend, we keep it cold and wintery across the west. quite warm into the east. many spots challenging record highs saturday and sunday. rob and sunny, back to you. >> thanks, jim. now for the friday morning edition of stupid human tricks. check out the guy with the most trust in his fellow man. >> this youtube video shows him walking around telling people on the beach or the sidewalk that he trusts them. that trust is misplaced as he continuously falls to the ground. >> but finally a guy on the beach catches him and they share a congratulatory hand shake and then it's just more of the same. yeah. >> ever have one of those orientation games for work and people play that trust game? >> i do not like the trust game.
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i don't like that. >> most of the times they catch you. >> i've been asked to play it and i said no, thank you. >> smart. definitely don't play it in this building. >> no, thank you. coming up, the career opportunity that is bringing back always a favorite actor, michael j. fox. >> and the prescription sleeping pills that are so popular among insomniacs. the serious safety concerns and who's making changes. you're watching "world news now." now." [ female announcer ] going to sleep may be easy, but when you wake up
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while not fully awake without remembering the event the next day have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. alcohol or taking other medicines that make you sleepy may increase these risks. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. intermezzo, like most sleep medicines, has some risk of dependency. common side effects are headache, nausea, and fatigue. so if you suffer from middle-of-the-night insomnia, ask your doctor about intermezzo and return to sleep again. ♪ until they see this. the oral-b pro-health clinical brush. its pro-flex sides adjust to teeth and gums for a better clean. the pro-health clinical brush from oral-b.
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♪ well, if you're awake with us right now, you know sleep can be so tough to come by. and sleeping pills can really help. >> but one of the most popular, ambien, can cause drowsiness, even after sleeping a full night. as abc's lisa stark reports, it's now being recommended that some people actually take a lower dose. >> reporter: we showed you how dangerous it is to drive under the influence of ambien. here i am in a driving simulator, 30 minutes after taking the pill. am i on the wrong side of the road? 90 minutes after downing the medication. i fell asleep for a second. and at four hours, still obviously impaired.
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now it turns out, even those who wait the recommended eight hours after taking ambien and its generic versions may still be too impaired to drive. it's especially true for women, who for some unknown reason do not clear the medicine as quickly. new studies show that after taking a regular ten milligram ambien or its generic, 15% of women will still be impaired eight hours later. and after taking the extended released version, a whopping 33% won't be alert enough for things like driving. so the fda says the new recommended dose for women, half of what it is now. but first check with your doctor. those relying on other sleeping medications shouldn't rest easy. the fda is examining those as well. lowering the dose will help ensure women are alert for the morning drive and it will also help reduce this. that was close. dangerous cases of sleep driving. lisa stark, abc news, washington. >> scary. >> it really is. listen to this, too.
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according to ims, a health care information technology company, 60 million prescriptions were dispensed back in 2011 for this stuff. so there's a significant insomnia crowd. while we appreciate the job security, please monitor your health. we've heard horror stories for people that get hooked on that stuff. and literally, can't sleep without it or do crazy things when you're on it. >> we've heard stories even here on our show. >> it's the overnight crew. there's a lot of ambien folks walking around here. i get why they do it. we all have our weird sleep patterns on this shift. but there's a downside to everything. >> as always. as always. >> be careful. coming up next, when a celebrity tries to sell something for $24 million, the public usually takes notice. and turning a weatherman's bathroom accident into song and dance. we'll explain that next in "the skinny." "world news
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♪ skinny, so skinny ♪ skinny, so skinny skinny in the house! >> yes, it is time for "the skinny." and cella ripa, who you know i just love. is putting her new york penthouse on the market. she purchased it in 2005 for $9.1 million.
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however, she's selling it for $24.5 million. it's in soho but it is remarkable. two floors, five bathrooms, two home offices, a media room, a 2,500 square foot outdoor space, hot tub, outdoor kitchen and the living room has a central staircase, two dishwashers, two refrigerators, home gym, powder room, library and roof deck. and you can have that for $24.5 million. and get this, rob, the apartment is being sold by two brokers, one of which is raphael de niro, son of robert de niro. so it's just all celebrity, celebrity, celebrity. >> ever think sometimes we got the wrong job in television? >> i think about it often. >> nice investment there. oh, man. she's doing well. >> we'll see if she gets it. you can ask for anything. >> it's new york. you never know. she could get it tomorrow. also you can't be a fan of tv sitcoms and not love michael
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j. fox. we remember him from "family ties" and we all know that he's been battling parkinson's for several years. but he's gotten the condition under control. 12 years after leaving "spin city" after retiring because of the illness, he's coming back. he's now 51 years old. he's coming back in a sitcom on nbc, set to play a busy husband and father of three who juggles his family, career and who is also battling parkinson's. so it's a little -- he's borrowing from his real life battles with the disease, as well. so he's looking forward to going back to his own show. we all love this guy. so welcome back. that should premiere in the fall of this year. so welcome back to tv, mr. michael j. fox. >> we'll be watching. al roker, who we do watch, he's the weatherman on nbc. on "today" show. remember he sort of said that after gastric bypass he had a little poop accident at the white house. he had to go commando because he thought he was passing gas and he passed a little bit more,
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which rob says it happens to a lot of people. i've never heard of that before. but they've now made a song out of it. take a listen. on youtube. ♪ i was panicky ♪ i was panicky >> you popped in your pants? >> i pooped in my pants. ♪ come on, everybody, do the dukie dance ♪ >> you pooped in your pants, you pooped in your pants. >> break it down, al, break it down. real quick here, justin bieber is going to host "saturday night live" february 9 and he's told the writers that have as much fun as you want because he's been spotted enjoying a little of the green stuff, shall we say. just being high on life. so he's saying no holds barred, "snl" writers have fun with my
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penchant for a little mary jane so should be an entertaining show for the young biebs. can help you get there. iclone) like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta.
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♪ let's get it on ♪ oh, baby ♪ let's get it on that sets the mood for the weekend, does it not? you feeling good, willis? >> that's the mood, baby. >> as always, another very busy week in the news. >> there were some new beginnings and happy returns. but it was the return of a very unwelcome outbreak that tops our friday rewind. >> it's been an epidemic. it's been huge and there have been a lot of admissions from the flu, more than ever. >> one minute, i'm 1,000 degrees, sweating to death. the next minute i'm 4 degrees, freezing to death, wishing i was dead. >> he would be the first person of enlisted rank to serve as secretary of defense. one of the few secretaries wounded in war. the first vietnam veteran to lead the department. >> i will always do my best.
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i will do my best for our country, for those i represent at the pentagon, and for all our citizens. >> chuck hagel bucked the republican party establishment opposing the war in iraq. >> this is an in your face nomination by the president to all of us who are supportive of israel. >> he literally built and then led the national counterterrorism center. >> leading the agency in which i served for 25 years would be the greatest privilege, as well as the greatest responsibility of my professional life. >> it's like you almost have to face the devil, you know? as opposed to saying i don't want to know. >> you have a gun? >> yes. >> you still have a glock? >> yes. >> we're both gun owners. we are strong supporters of the second amendment. >> welcome back to work. >> thank you, matt.
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i have to say, matt, i missed you all. i wouldn't say that under normal circumstances. >> why would you do this to my new desk? what is wrong with you? >> it's out with the old, in with the new. we're going with 11:30. >> but this is -- this is the -- this was the new desk. >> jimmy had a very good week. also coming up this weekend, the global no pants subway day. so folks will be on the subway here in new york without their pants on. yesterday, 4,000 people took place. >> no, no. >> be careful where you sit on the subway. and it is national hot tottie day. for all you flu sufferers out there. >> nice. >> so bottoms up. enjoy. more from abc next. this is abc's "world news now" informing insomniacs for two decades.
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this morning on "world news now," facing trial. a colorado judge rules there is enough evidence to try accused movie theater gunman james holmes. >> but lawyers for holmes say he's not ready yet to enter a plea. it's friday, january 11. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good friday morning. i'm sunny hostin in for paula faris. >> feels good to say friday, huh? >> it does. >> it's been a long week. friday, absolutely. good morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. we'll get to the colorado judge's decision and some legal wrangling in the james holmes' case coming up in just a few minutes in our top story. but also ahead in half hour, another school rocked by gun violence on the same day vice president joe biden was meeting with the nra in the wake of that massacre in newtown, connecticut.
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>> never seems to end. >> no, not at all. later, new worries about the fate of what might be the most closely watched whales in the world. that pod of orcas fighting the icy elements to survive. then the early envelopes, the oscar nominations are in and they packed their share of both snubs and surprises. >> i was shocked. >> were you watching about 8:30 yesterday? >> yes, i was surprised. >> there was some expected ones and some not so expected ones and some folks not on the list. >> that's what got me, the snubs. >> we'll get into that dirt in just a second. but first, the case against james holmes has taken a giant leap forward. late last night, a judge gave the go ahead for a trial. >> so holmes will be back in court today will he will officially -- could be officially charged. abc's clayton sandell reports from aurora, colorado. >> reporter: the judge's ruling is not a surprise after prosecutors spent three days
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laying out a mountain of evidence, including how he amassed guns and ammo, bobby trapped his apartment, even scoped out the theater before the attack. police say he even took eerie self-portraits just six hours before the shooting started. >> he had black contact lenses on and just looked very evil and he just sat in the courtroom pretty much delighted. >> reporter: he's charged with 166 counts including murder and attempted murder for last summer's massacre that left 12 people dead and dozens wounded. his attorneys say he's mentally ill. families of the victims don't buy it. >> he had all that time to plan it, write it, talk about it. no, you're not mentally ill. >> reporter: the courtroom drama is unfolding as this community is still struggling to heal. next week, for the first time since the shooting, the theater where the massacre took place will reopen its doors. next in the legal fight, holmes must decide how he will plead to the charges and prosecutors will decide if they will seek the death penalty. clayton sandell, abc news, aurora, colorado.
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>> the latest information you have about what's happening, there's been confusion about whether this is an arraignment or a hearing. >> about 9:00 tonight, i was told it was just supposed to be a hearing but the judge converted it into an arraignment. so i suspect today he will be arraigned. that doesn't mean he will enter a plea because the lawyers have to determine if it's an insanity plea. is it going to be, you know, a not guilty plea. a diminished capacity plea. so the lawyers have said they're not ready to plead. but i believe he's going to be arraigned. >> so today he will be formally charged. what's hanging in the balance is what he will plea. and you said you expect this a plea deal and this won't go to a trial. >> if i were a betting person, which i am, no, it's not going to trial. >> maybe some closure in the works here, some sense of closure. with the school attack in newtown still so recent, a
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shooting at a high school in rural california is rattling nerves. police say a student shot one classmate in the chest with a shotgun, and fired on another before a teacher and staff member talked him into standing down. panicked parents rushed to the school, as you imagine. they feared the worst. classmates say there had been warning signs. >> i heard he got picked on a lot his freshman year, he was bullied a lot. >> i had him in class last year. i heard he had a hit list or something like that. >> an armed guard is usually on duty at that school, but he did not show up because of the bad weather. the injured student is in critical but stable condition. this latest shooting is more fuel for the national debate over gun violence. the president pushed it to the top of his agenda. vice president biden says he'll have a plan by next tuesday, but it's clear the nra won't like it. abc's karen travers has the details. >> reporter: vice president biden met with the most prominent opponent of gun control, the national rifle association.
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before hand, he sounded confident. >> there's nothing that has gone to the heart of the matter more than the visual image people have of little 6-year-old kids riddled, riddled with bullet holes in their classroom. and the public demands we speak to it. >> reporter: the vice president suggested his proposals were increased gun control will be bold, including mandatory background checks on virtually every gun sale and bans on assault weapons and high capacity magazine clips. the nra has already pushed back hard against more anti-gun laws. >> the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. >> reporter: with 4 million highly motivated members, the nra spent more than $1 million on campaign contributions last year, and more than $2 million on lobbying. 288 members of congress have an a-rating from the nra for opposing new gun laws.
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in fact, gun rights were expanded in president obama's first term, as carrying firearms was made legal in national parks and on amtrak. and since the connecticut school shooting, the nra has added 100,000 new members. in a written statement, the nra said it was disappointed with the biden meeting, adding, we will not allow law-abiding gun owners to be blamed for the acts of criminals and mad men. all the talk of new restrictions has sparked a run on gun sales. >> they need to protect themselves. >> karen travers, abc news, washington. >> not a shocker there. the white house and nra do not see eye to eye on the issue. now a battle is shaping up in congress. keep in mind, when they passed the assault weapons ban in 1994, democrats controlled the house and it still passed by that much. now it's a republican controlled house, so no matter what they put on the table or what biden announces come tuesday, this thing has miles to go and it's going to be an uphill battle to
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say the least. >> i think that's right. but if there were ever a time for this to pass, i think now is the time. and what's clear is the white house has indicated that the newtown families will be given a chance to share their views. i suspect that when these congresswomen and men hear from the families themselves about their children being riddled with bullets, perhaps that will move the conversation forward. >> we will see. it will be some high drama on capitol hill and some political theater as it always is. other news, the pentagon is getting ready for drastic cuts that could come in march if congress does not act. defense secretary leon panetta outlined contingency cuts, including freezing civilian hiring, delaying the implementation of some contracts, and curtail maintenance. but promises combat troops and wounded warriors and military families would not be short changed new details are emerging about the secret service prostitution scandal ahead of president obama's visit to
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colombia last year. a justice department report found three drug enforcement administration agents stationed there had paid for sexual services for themselves and two of those agents hired a prostitute for a visiting secret service supervisor. the agents used their government issued blackberries to arrange those encounters and tried to delete the information. now turning to sports. major league baseball players are facing an increased number of tests for illegal drugs. a deal between management and the deal between managers and the players means human growth hormone testing will be conducted throughout the season instead of just spring training. urine and blood tests will be administered and every player will be tested at least once when the new season begins. another big weekend of nfl playoff football is starting with conference title games at stake. it starts tomorrow afternoon with baltimore visiting denver. then the green bay packers face san francisco.
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and on sunday, it's seattle at atlanta, followed by the texans taking on new england. a lot going on. >> who are the giants playing? >> doesn't really matter. the giants will be victorious. >> who are the saints playing? >> rub it in, willis. got two giants' fans right here. next year, next year. here's your friday forecast. mountain snow in the cascades. heavy snow from salt lake city to jackson, wyoming. moving later to northwest minnesota. freezing rain in the twin cities and duluth. thunderstorms across the south. showers from knoxville to the eastern seaboard. >> 40s in the northeast. 50s from the middle of the country. 30s from seattle to boise. passengers taking off from australia were caught up in what looked like a hollywood movie, but this was actually all too real. >> that's right. a few minutes into a qantas flight yesterday morning, passengers, get this, noticed a huge snake dangling from the wing of the plane.
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and it turned out to be a ten-foot long scrub python, the longest species of snake in australia. >> the snake managed to hang on for the entire two-hour flight, but it did not survive the ordeal. >> how did it get there? >> where is samuel l. jackson when you need him? i am tired of these snakes on this plane. >> i've got to say, i actually watched that movie. >> that's sad. >> and i was entertained by it. >> you can't beat samuel l. jackson. "snakes on a plane," another oscar snub. coming up, oscar's biggest snubs in this year's nominations. and orca whales stuck in an icy predicament. while their lives may still be on the line. you're watching "world news now." "world news now" weather brought to you by united health care. i've got a nice long life ahead. big plans.
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this morning, there's new concern about those whales we showed you yesterday that broke free from ice in canada. >> after those whales swam away, they still were faced with the same conditions. they may need to swim under ice for miles and miles or wait for warmer weather to melt it all. new reports this morning say a search plane found no signs of the whales anywhere. abc's neal karlinsky reports on the dangers ahead. >> reporter: they're a family fighting for survival, taking turns to breathe, doing what's called spy hopping, literally peeking out above the water line. desperately looking for an
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escape route. this pod of killer whales was trapped in the ice of canada's hudson bay by a cruel turn in the weather. temperatures in the bay had been unusually warm, luring the family in search of food. but as the temperature dropped, the bay iced over. there was no way out. with only one hole to share for those precious breaths, they were running out of time. >> with no real escape route from hudson bay, they just moved from one little breathing area to the next. >> reporter: a killer whale can go about 20 minutes on one breath, swimming a little more than a mile before needing air. the nearest opening in the ice, an impossible six miles. several dramatic rescues were considered but abandoned. canada's ice breaking ship was days away from clearing a path, but experts feared the noise would frighten the whales. they could have tried to use a helicopter to airlift them, but too costly and too time
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consuming. then before anything could be done, they were gone. the winds shifted the ice, creating gaps, air pockets. >> the killer whale is the social predator of the marine environment. they have the biggest brain to body weight ratio. they have the best sonar and vision. these guys are no dummies. >> reporter: orcas are led by the females, who live up to 80 years. in this case, it's believed the grandmother found an opening and led them out. it will be up to her to keep them alive. navigating a patchwork of ice for hundreds of miles in search of the open sea. neal karlinsky, abc news, seattle. >> hundreds of miles, but they can only travel one mile without -- and then they need a breath. so how does that work out? >> i'm no marine biologist, but the odds don't sound good they can survive, unless that ice melts more quickly than people are expecting right now. so you don't know how many of them there are or what other holes they can find or ice thin enough to pop through and get
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air. but the eyes of the world are watching that situation there. hopefully they're okay. but that plane flew over and no sign. that's the latest information we have. >> and they've got to go hundreds of miles? >> we'll keep you posted on that. coming up, the high profile snub at the oscars. but first, sizzling success for a cool industry, cashing in on a climate meltdown. you're watching "world news now." "world
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♪ now to a topic near and dear
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to my heart, the sun. >> earlier this week, we told you that 2012 was the hottest year on record. but experts say there are solutions and this one might seem a little unlikely, using the sun's power to create conditions that would actually cool the planet. >> reporter: massive drought in the west. >> they're praying for rain. 26 states with heat warnings or advisories. >> reporter: record ice melt in the arctic. >> this storm is monster size. >> that's a patient taken out of the hospital. >> reporter: a so-called super storm. >> atlantic city looks like that and there is water absolutely everywhere. >> reporter: reshaping the new jersey shoreline. recent extreme weather events are raising more questions about climate change. what's causing it? who's most at risk and how bad can it get? easy questions with not so easy
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answers. but there is one thing nearly every scientist agrees on, climate change is man made and to protect our future, we need to reduce our greenhouse gases we're sending into the air, from our cars, power plants and homes. in response to that need, an entirely new industry is exploding. >> what you see in front of you i can see it for about four years. >> reporter: solar harnessing the sun's rays and converting it into electricity. here in the nevada and california deserts, massive solar projects are being built, the first ever on government land. >> 2008 i saw a big difference. i saw something that looked like it could be permanent and i wanted to make a difference. >> reporter: mike hatfield is one of the country's leading solar developers, and the man behind many of these plants, including this energy project outside of las vegas. >> it goes to power the major businesses, the hotels, casinos.
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bellagios fountains, even some of the slot machines you see downtown. >> reporter: here in the west, a 100 mile by 100 mile solar installation could meet the entire country's energy needs. the government has yet to commit to anything of that size, but has set aside enough land to supply solar power to 7 million homes. opponents argue it's still too costly and there's no cheap way to store energy for when the sun isn't shining. >> if you could make solar panels cheaper and you could solve storage, then you could have not just the technology that the u.s. would use, but that everyone would use. >> reporter: despite those arguments, there's been a 5,000% increase in installation this year alone. >> an interesting stat. nationwide, the solar industry has created about 120,000 jobs with a growth rate of about 13%. so you're beginning to see kind of it take off slowly but it's getting there. >> it's getting there. creating jobs. >> not bad. and saving the earth, maybe. we'll be back. ad.
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♪ it is the oscar nominees edition of "insomniac theater" it is also the time of year when we realize, at least i do, how many good movies we still haven't seen yet. >> i've seen a lot of them. abc's david wright reports on oscar fever and the nomination surprises. >> reporter: in hollywood, they're already practicing their acceptance speeches. >> in hollywood, they're already practicing their acceptance speeches. >> great to hear your name, i have to say. i mean, i was certain by the way that it wouldn't happen. ♪ >> reporter: singer/songwriter adele tweeted oh, my god, i feel like meryl streep. ann hathaway was thrilled to hear she was nominated for her singing role in "les mis." she said, i just started gulping for air, nervous i was going to
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pass out. "lincoln" led with 12 nominations. the other major contender, silver linings's "playbook" nominated in all the big categories. first time that's happened since "raging bull." >> the first film in three decades to get nominations in picture, director, screenplay, and all four acting categories. that's an incredible feat for a movie like this. >> reporter: the biggest snubs, catherine bigelow passed over for "zero dark thirty." ben affleck passed over for "argo." best actor nominee bradley cooper said ben affleck was robbed. the best actress category features the oldest and the youngest nominees ever. 86-year-old emanuel riva and 9-year-old quvenzhane wallis. on the phone with cnn, she was giddy as a schoolgirl. >> do you know what a big deal that is?
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>> do i ever. >> reporter: she is a schoolgirl, and her first role now up for best actress. david wright, abc news, hollywood. >> girlfriend just saw that movie and loved it. >> i saw it. >> i've heard great things. that actress you just heard, quvenzhane wallis, she's already a winner. she accepted the best actress award on stage at the 18th annual critics choice awards just last night. >> i'm surprised that ben affleck was not nominated in "argo." he acted and directed it and it was a terrific movie. >> and also the director for -- >> "zero dark thirty." but some people saying the controversy politically may have hurt the chances. who knows? always snubs and surprises. we'll be back. we'll be b
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this morning on "world news now," wild blast. arctic air is sending snow across southern california and making a mess all the way to the middle of the country. >> it's all part of a powerful system unleashing mudslides, tornadoes and more. it's friday, january 11. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good friday morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> and i'm sunny hostin in for paula faris. winter watches and warnings are posted in about a dozen states this morning. accuweather has the latest and we'll go over that. >> just unbelievable. . >> little messy. and then a pilot flying a new chopper becomes the story. we'll show the high drama on the high seas as the pilot races to the rescue. look at that. >> oh, yes. news chopper. always some drama with that.
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also ahead, lessons in the legacy of junior seau. the nfl great did have a brain disease when he killed himself and his family is now speaking out about a lifetime of hard hits. later, bottoms up for a good cause. helping sandy survivors, one cold beer at a time. it doesn't get better than that. it's our favorite story of the day. >> perfect favorite story of the day for a friday. but first, the nasty arctic blast blowing from coast to coast is bringing snow and freezing rain to a huge section of the country. >> winter weather advisories and warnings are posted from california to michigan, setting the stage for just a miserable weekend. our coverage begins with abc's michael bar. >> reporter: the arctic blast is dumping snow on southern california, shutting down interstate 5 north of los angeles. roads in higher elevations quickly turned icy. >> it's very, very icy up there. kind of dangerous road. >> reporter: along with snow and ice, the snowstorm is bringing
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45 to 60-mile-an-hour winds to the west. the gusty blustery weather triggered mudslides near seattle. as wet snow fell on highways, slowing down commuters. it's part of a giant cold sending a chill from the rockies to the middle of the country. storm survivors cleaning up from tornadoes in louisiana would notice that chill more common in summer. >> our patio chair is over here in the neighbor's yard and we got outside and walked out to this. >> reporter: but this week's storm damage is bad enough for louisiana's governor to declare a statewide emergency. more rain is expected in the gulf region this weekend. michael bar, abc news. >> and there's near record warmth here in the east and california farmers cover up their crops. >> our coverage of the weather continues with meteorologist jim dickey at accuweather. >> good morning, rob and sunny. we're tracking a developing winter storm here.
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an area of low pressure that will drift out of the rockies, bringing strong, gusty winds across colorado and new mexico, moving north and east. heavy snow across the dakotas. icy mix south dakota into northern minnesota here. blizzard conditions potentially overnight across much of north dakota. by the time this is all said and done and this snow starts to wind down saturday morning, many spots up around here into minnesota. now, the pattern setting up for the weekend, while frigid air surges into the west, we'll be warm across the east. the jet stream northward into canada. temperatures challenging record highs. as much as 20 to 30 degrees above average. rob and sunny, back to you. >> thanks, jim. here's the rest of your friday forecast. windy with scattered thunderstorms from new orleans to atlanta. showers around knoxville, charleston and pittsburgh. later on from d.c. to boston, up to 20 degrees colder in the midsection and southern plains. >> 70s from dallas to atlanta. 50s from kansas city to detroit and a snowy 27 in salt lake city and just 12 degrees in billings.
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now we turn to australia, where a news helicopter just happened to be in the right place at the right time to help avert a tragedy. the pilot was flying over the waters when he spotted a boat spinning out of control. you see it right there. the owner of the boat was struggling to stay afloat nearby. the pilot threw the man a life jacket and called rescuers who pulled him to safety. federal investigators announced their review into a fire that broke out in a japan airline 787 dreamliner. that review will reportedly focus on the power system boeing created especially for boeing's brand new super jumbo jet. the faa is aware of this incident and others aboard dreamliners. but united airlines, which operates six dream liners, has no plans to ground those planes. a colorado judge has given the green light for james holmes to stand trial. the ruling was no surprise.
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during three days of hearings, prosecutors presented a mountain of evidence and testimony to connect holmes to the massacre that killed 12 people and injured 70. he will be charged today in court, but his lawyers say they are not ready to enter a plea. a judge is expected to rule within a week on whether jerry sandusky should have another trial. the former penn state assistant football coach was in court yesterday. his attorneys argued they did not have enough time to prepare for his trial on child molestation charges. sandusky was convicted last june and serving the equivalent of a life sentence. his attorneys say if their motion is denied, they will appeal. all right, counselor, i assume chances are slim for a new trial. but any credence to the argument there was too much information, we didn't have enough time. this thing did get done pretty quickly. >> i was worried when those rulings were coming down, i was worried for the prosecution, because it would be issue number
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one, no question about it. you have a significant case when you think about it. ten accusers, overwhelming evidence. but you need to give the defense time to prepare. and they did get a lot of information pretty late in the day. so i think it has real merit. but it's not going to result in a new trial. >> you don't think the judge, even with the time situation, will be swayed by that? >> no. >> she seems pretty confident, folks. as many of you know, this has been a tough week for fighting the flu, with the number of cases spikes across the country. public health experts in oklahoma say the number of flu-related hospitalizations doubled this week and on top of that, six people died. one town outside of tulsa canceled classes today because a quarter of the students are sick. professional cleaners will be in the classroom and they will be disinfecting everything. one school system in suburban cleveland is way ahead.
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once a week they disinfect all schools with high power sprayers that leave a fine mist everywhere. it's similar to that used in hospital operating rooms. the machines cost several thousand dollars each but school attendance is pretty high. boston is in full scale disaster mode because of the flu outbreak. robocalls have gone out to 45,000 people reminding them to get a flu shot. hospitals are swamped with flu patients. some of them also falling victim to a nasty stomach bug called norovirus. if you feel sick, should you go to the hospital? >> you need to watch for the signs. if you have any difficulty breathing, any shortness of breath, you may have chest pain, that could mean pneumonia, dizziness or confusion could mean you're dehydrated. if you're getting better and then you start to get worse, that could mean you have a bacterial infection on top and you need to be seen right away. >> that was abc's dr. richard
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besser. supplies of the flu vaccine are running low. 128 million doses have been distributed. but clinics are struggling to keep up with the demand. >> in boston, they're handing some out for free, saying come get it. just to stop this thing. the other part of what dr. besser said is that a fever in and of itself is not enough to go to the e.r. you need to have one of those other symptoms to warrant a trip to the hospital. a lot of cities now, the e.r.s are packed with coughing, sneezing. awful feeling folks. >> i hope people will just get the flu shot. i know there's that urban legend around if you get the flu shot it makes you more susceptible to getting the flu. it's just not true. so hopefully people will go, or at least for the elderly and the children. >> some people can't get them because they have an egg allergy and would have something far worse than the flu if they got that shot.
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even if you get the shot, keep in mind, you can still get the flu, just a less severe version of it. but rather have less severe. >> you are going to go and get your flu shot. >> when i see you again monday, i will be here, i will be all shotted up. >> we'll check on him. you've heard of drive-in movies and drive through banking, but here's a different spin from the whole thing. lincoln, nebraska, drive right into the pizza shop. >> yes, it happened on wednesday. an elderly man's foot got stuck on the gas pedal and he drove right through the front door of valentino's pizza shop. while he was stuck in the car, he ordered a pie for himself. >> luckily no one else was hurt. but that driver did not get that pie before being taken to the hospital to be checked out. so you have to wonder what the first responders thought when this guy crashed through the store and had the whatever to
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order a pizza. they actually thought he was okay. he was alert despite the trauma of the crash. >> was it a joke or? i don't know. let's hope. >> maybe some confusion. i don't know. who knows what it was? luckily no injuries and no major structural damage to the building either. coming up next, the astounding amount of food thrown out worldwide every single day. and the beer that's brewing up something extra special for people who survived hurricane sandy. you're watching "world news now." ♪ "world news now" weather brought to you by lunesta. have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta®(eszopiclone) can help you get there. like it has for so many people before.
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sadly, this is becoming an all too familiar story. we learned yesterday that former pro football player junior seau who killed himself did in fact have degenerative brain disease. >> seau now one of dozens of players died of cte which is found in people that have suffered repetitive head trauma. abc's jim avila has more.
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>> reporter: junior seau, who over a 20-year career made an estimated 150 bruising tackles. most of them head first. >> junior seau. >> he would come home and hit the blackout button in the bedroom and black the room out so he could lay down. >> reporter: and in medical documents obtained by abc news and espn and confirmed in an exclusive interview with his family, we learned for the first time that this monster in middle, who killed himself last year, suffered severe brain damage from repeated blows to the head. >> we love a game where they're battling, but at the end of the game, is it really worth it? >> reporter: his family donated his brain to science, the national institutes of health found evidence of hardened brain cells like these. telltale signs of chronic traumatic inst iic encephopathy.
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>> all concurred with the diagnosis of cte. >> reporter: chronic blows to the head, including concussions, can cause cte. the symptoms include dementia, mood swings and depression severe enough to lead to suicide. >> the combination of depression and lack of impulse control probably contributes to the suicide we see in this group of individuals. >> reporter: researchers have documented 50 football players stricken by cte, 35 nfl players, 6 high school players. >> chronic traumatic encephlopathy is not being seen in individuals without repetitive head injury. >> reporter: this revelation has summoned the nfl, questioning their own health. >> at times i do forget things, the sleepless nights you may have, you start to wonder are you down that path towards cte? >> reporter: the seau family noticed his change in personality in the last years of his life. from outgoing, hard charging
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family leader, to withdrawn loner who ended it all by shooting himself in the chest, leaving this three word on a text to his four children and ex-wife. what did he say? >> just three words, i love you. >> that was the last we heard. >> reporter: none of his children play football anymore. and that's fine with their mother. >> i think it's a gamble. if you want to play the sport, know what you could be in for. >> it's not worth it for me to not have a dad. so to me, it's not worth it. >> reporter: the nfl says it will continue to finance research into cte and acknowledges it has more work to do and promises to do it. jim avila, abc news, new york. >> so far the nfl has set aside about $100 million for research into this issue. but now they're facing more than 4,000 lawsuits from retired players who are wondering what the impact on their brain has been. >> you heard what the former players say when they have lost memory or not feeling well, could they be on the path of cte? this is really scary stuff for them.
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in february 2011, dave dorsen, a former chicago bears player, he too shot himself in the chest. he wanted his brain donated for research. he wrote that in a note. doctors determined he had cte. >> it's a new era for the nfl. player safety is a top concern. that's why they've changed the rules about helmet to helmet contact. we're in a new era where we're learning the effects of these hits on their bodies. keep that in mind as we cheer on our team on sunday. still ahead, let's lighten the mood a little bit here. it's friday, of course, time to raise a glass for a good cause. >> we will introduce you to a new beer and you'll want to toast the guys brewing it. you're watching "world news now." "world news now" continues after this from our
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♪ ♪ what is a better way to spend this weekend than drinking, but for a great cause. >> for a great cause. is there any other reason to make this one our favorite story of the day? believe it or not, there is. there's some breweries that are creating a new beer and the proceeds go to survivors of super storm sandy. here's wabc's kristen thorn. >> reporter: it's not too often you can say that you're drinking beer for charity. but now you can. it's called surge protector, sandy relief ale. >> it's a true collaboration. >> reporter: eight breweries came together and created the ipa with one goal -- to raise money for those on the island still recovering from super storm sandy. one of those is one of their own, barrier brewing company in oceanside that was wiped out by the storm. >> we are stronger together than
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we are separate. this is a good demonstration of that. >> reporter: the eight breweries donated all the ingredients. >> the main ingredients of barley and hopps were all chipped in by everybody. >> and collaborated on the recipe. >> it is very hoppy, so it has the citrus and the pine flavors of the hopps. >> reporter: it was brewed, bottled and labeled at blue point brewing company. >> the buzz is definitely starting to build and i think people will be psyched when it does finally come out. >> reporter: all the beer will be given to a distributor here on long island who will sell the beer to local beer stores. all the money that the distributor collects will be given to barrier brewing and long island cares. keep an eye out for the beer in stores beginning january 22. >> very cool story. there was already a plan under way to do a documentary about this flourishing beer business on long island. but after the storm, the mission changed. >> i'll have some. >> sunny is such a good sport. look at you. sunny is such a good sport.
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in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. um, hello. these ugly stains are ruining my good looks and style. and good luck using that cleaner. excuse me, miss ? he's right. those are tough hard water stains, and that cleaner's not gonna cut it. truth is, 85% of us have hard water and many don't even know it. you need lime-a-way. lime-a-way is specially formulated to conquer hard water stains. it's 4 times more effective at removing lime scale than the leading bathroom cleaner. see the lime-a-way difference or your money back.
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now it's time for "the mix." this was kind of depressing to me. there's a new report coming out today that outlines the staggering amount of food that we just waste. apparently, out of 4.4 billion tons produced each year, 50% goes to waste. they sort of blame it on a variety of factors, including overly strict sell by dates. sometimes crops are rejected by supermarkets because they fail to meet this cosmetic appearance standard. it's just really something that -- so many people are starving, yet we waste so much. >> half, that's crazy. >> because of cosmetic reasons sometimes. check this story out. north california police bust into a home to bust this guy for marijuana. but look what he had protecting his weed. this alligator creature, mr.
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teeth. he was protecting about $300,000 worth of marijuana. now the guy got charged with the weed and not having a license for this critter. and guess what? mr. teeth died on wednesday. it was very sick when it got there. maybe it had too many special brownies. we don't know. but here's your polka. ♪ politics and foreign wars all the weather, all the scores ♪ ♪ that's the "world news" polka ♪ ♪ tapes that roll in way too slow ♪ ♪ that's the "world news" polka ♪ ♪ it's late at night, you're wide awake ♪ ♪ you're not wearing pants ♪ so grab your "world news now" mug ♪ ♪ and everybody dance ♪ have some fun and be a pal every anchor, every gal do the "world news" polka ♪
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♪ that's the "world news" polka ♪ ♪ that's the "world news" polka ♪ ♪ they make us work the graveyard shift ♪ ♪ that's why we go for broke ♪ so why don't you tune into abc and play a little joke ♪ ♪ five whole days every week ♪ we are here tongue and cheek ♪ do the "world news" polka ♪ do the "world news" polka ♪ i said, now do the "world news" polka ♪ thank you, thank you very much.
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this morning on "world news now," double trouble. it's not just the flu now. there is another virus making americans sick. >> as hospitals scramble to treat everyone, at least one school district is shutting down today for safety's sake. it's friday, january 11. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." we thought just the flu stuff was scary. now another critter is out there making people sick. the news keeps getting better. welcome to your weekend, everybody. happy friday and good morning. i'm rob nelson. >> and i'm sunny hostin in for paula faris. we'll explain why that second virus on top of the flu should really be taken seriously. also this morning, taking mother nature seriously. a winter blast is blowing from coast to coast after the gulf region recovers from january
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tornadoes. accuweather will bring us up to date. >> messy times for a large swath of the country. also later this half hour, when prescription sleeping pills do more harm than good. well, the government is calling for changes to these remedies. an important topic for all of you insomniacs out there. >> that's right. >> i've never been a big -- what is it called? the ambien stuff, but i'll pop a tylenol p.m. so we've got to take those things a little more carefully. and then in "the skinny," kelly ripa wants to make a huge change in her life and it's part of a multimillion dollar decision. we'll bring you the scoop. >> get a little glimpse into how miss ripa is living. >> it's fascinating. >> it is pretty cool. before all of that, this year's fierce outbreak of the flu is forcing even more communities to take action. outside of tulsa, oklahoma, no one is going to school today
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because a quarter of the students are already sick. >> the extreme measures are keeping big city hospitals busy. as abc's linsey davis reports. >> reporter: all day long, dr. ron walls is rushing down the hall. a squirt of hand sanitizer and he's off to battle more flu. >> it's going to take you two or three weeks to feel really good again. >> reporter: he's wearing a face mask because he can't afford to be sick. not now with brigham hospital overrun with flu case s this patient has been battling the flu for ten days now. >> you've been coughing a lot? >> yes. >> what are you bringing up with the cough? >> reporter: while we were there, the cases mounted. so much so, the hospital sounded an all hands on deck code amber alert. >> it's basically a disaster notification that we use when we have a large number of things to deal with. >> reporter: at holy name hospital in new jersey, dr.
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randy tarticoff is battling against the tide. >> we're all a little overwhelmed, not only the practitioners, but the caregivers in general. >> reporter: numbers are so great, he isn't even administering flu tests but handing out treatment. >> a lot of what we do is simple supportive care, making them feel better. >> reporter: the most vulnerable patients, children and the elderly. but this flu can also have deadly consequences for healthy adults. strong immune systems can sometimes overreact and destroy healthy tissues along with the flu itself. this year, there's a double threat. not only is flu rampant, so is a nasty stomach bug called the norovirus. now widespread throughout the country. it's also very contagious, and another serious concern for hospitals. a perfect storm of sickness, which is why 45,000 people in boston got an automated call from the city. >> residents who have not been varx vaccinated against
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influenza this year are urged to get vaccinated. >> reporter: dr. walls for one is hoping people listen. he knows better than anyone the flu haant hit its peak yet. so far this season, this hospital has treated 280 confirmed flu cases. in all of last year, they only had 63. yet this is another hospital where doctors say they're getting beyond the point of testing every patient. at this point, the focus is treating them. linsey davis, abc news, boston. >> to show you how serious this is getting, the roman catholic churches in the boston area are taking precautions to limit how this thing is spreading because it's spreading so fast. so the communion wine, not going to share that anymore. they're telling the parishioners to bow instead of shaking hands. telling the priests as you put the wafer in the person's mouth, be careful not to touch their tongue. >> i never thought the chalice should be shared. i was always sort of freaked out by that. but you've got to take these precautions. it's a virus. you can get it by touching things. something has to be done. it really is affecting so many
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people and children and the elderly and people are dying. >> it's scary. and you think about the number of things we touch all day, whether it's the handle on the microwave, the doorknob to the bathroom, whatever you're touching it could all be there. and you can go out and infect as many as three to five people without knowing you have it. >> exactly. >> it is strange. everyone just be careful and get the shot. which i promise you i will do this weekend. >> please. >> i promise. >> you've been coughing a little bit. >> i know. might as well read the next one. late last night, a colorado judge decided that there is enough evidence for accused movie theater gunman james holmes to stand trial. the decision follows a three-day hearing during which prosecutors laid out their case. holmes faces 166 felony counts. he's accused of killing 12 people and injuring 70 last july. he will be in court today, but his lawyers say they're not ready to enter a plea.
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former penn state assistant coach jerry sandusky is in a new legal fight. he was in court yesterday, where his attorneys opened their battle for a new trial. they claim they did not have enough time to prepare for his trial on child molestation charges. >> our position was you can't take 6,400, 6,500 pages and give them to a lawyer and say okay, now, start the trial real soon. >> the information that we're talking about that was turned over to the defense in may, a month before the trial, largely had nothing to do with these victims. >> as you remember, sandusky was convicted last june and sentenced to at least 30 years. the judge is expected to issue a ruling about a new trial next week. sandusky's attorney says if their motion is denied, they will appeal in pennsylvania's superior court. the son of former nfl star junior seau says he's not surprised his father suffered from a brain disease before committing suicide last may. a study by the national institutes of health found seau
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suffered from a degenerative disease often associated with repeated blows to the head. he joins a list of several dozen former players who were found to have that disease. when major league baseball players get back to work, they will be facing an increased number of tests for illegal drugs. a deal between management and the players means human growth hormone testing will be conducted throughout the season instead of just during spring training. urine and blood tests will be administered and each player will be tested at least once. >> that news coming this week. and with that hall of fame news, no one got in. so interesting times for major league baseball. in other news this morning, stormy weather is finally moving out of southern louisiana after days of drenching rain and violent storms there. surveillance video captured a tornado yesterday morning as it descended on a chemical plant near baton rouge.
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the twister damaged the roof but thankfully no one was injured. some towns got more than 11 inches of rain in just 24 hours. with more rain expected this weekend, some rivers and streams are now approaching flood stage. and a wave of arctic air and snow hovering over southern california has forced the shutdown of a major highway. as snow came down, interstate 5 was closed just north of l.a. the cold weather is expected to continue through the weekend and the coastal areas could see 60-mile-an-hour winds and high tides of more than seven feet. you don't think about that kind of weather when you think of west coast life out there in cali. that storm out west is moving across the country, putting an end to spring-like conditions. >> and accuweather meteorologist jim dickey is tracking the winter blast. good morning, jim. >> good morning. a mess on our hands here today across the upper midwest and the northern plains. the front range of the rockies, area of low pressure moves north and east, an icy mix in
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minnesota with wind-driven snow in the dakotas, here. especially north dakota, blizzard conditions tonight, travel conditions will be dangerous, if not impossible. the pattern for this weekend, we keep it cold and wintery across the west. quite warm into the east. many spots challenging record highs saturday and sunday. rob and sunny, back to you. >> thanks, jim. now for the friday morning edition of stupid human tricks. check out the guy with the most trust in his fellow man. >> this youtube video shows him walking around telling people on the beach or the sidewalk that he trusts them. that trust is misplaced as he continuously falls to the ground. >> but finally a guy on the beach catches him and they share a congratulatory hand shake and then it's just more of the same. yeah. >> ever have one of those orientation games for work and people play that trust game? >> i do not like the trust game. i don't like that. >> most of the times they catch
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you. >> i've been asked to play it and i said no, thank you. >> smart. definitely don't play it in this building. >> no, thank you. coming up, the career opportunity that is bringing back always a favorite actor, michael j. fox. and the prescription sleeping pills that are so popular among insomniacs. the serious safety concerns and who's making changes. you're watching "world news now." "world news now "weather brought to you by just for men mustache and beard. [ female announcer ] going to sleep may be easy, but when you wake up
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while not fully awake without remembering the event the next day have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. alcohol or taking other medicines that make you sleepy may increase these risks. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. intermezzo, like most sleep medicines, has some risk of dependency. common side effects are headache, nausea, and fatigue. so if you suffer from middle-of-the-night insomnia, ask your doctor about intermezzo and return to sleep again. ♪ until they see this. the oral-b pro-health clinical brush. its pro-flex sides adjust to teeth and gums for a better clean. the pro-health clinical brush from oral-b.
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♪ well, if you're awake with us right now, you know sleep can be so tough to come by. and sleeping pills can really help. >> but one of the most popular, ambien, can cause drowsiness, even after sleeping a full night. as abc's lisa stark reports, it's now being recommended that some people actually take a lower dose. >> reporter: we showed you how dangerous it is to drive under the influence of ambien. here i am in a driving simulator, 30 minutes after taking the pill. am i on the wrong side of the road? 90 minutes after downing the medication. i fell asleep for a second. and at four hours, still obviously impaired. now it turns out, even those who wait the recommended eight hours
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after taking ambien and its generic versions may still be too impaired to drive. it's especially true for women, who for some unknown reason do not clear the medicine as quickly. new studies show that after taking a regular ten milligram ambien or its generic, 15% of women will still be impaired eight hours later. and after taking the extended released version, a whopping 33% won't be alert enough for things like driving. so the fda says the new recommended dose for women, half of what it is now. but first check with your doctor. those relying on other sleeping medications shouldn't rest easy. the fda is examining those as well. lowering the dose will help ensure women are alert for the morning drive and it will also help reduce this. that was close. dangerous cases of sleep driving. lisa stark, abc news, washington. >> scary.
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>> it really is. listen to this, too. according to ims, a health care information technology company, 60 million prescriptions were dispensed back in 2011 for this stuff. so there's a significant insomnia crowd. while we appreciate the job security, please monitor your health. we've heard horror stories for people that get hooked on that stuff. and literally, can't sleep without it or do crazy things when you're on it. >> we've heard stories even here on our show. >> it's the overnight crew. there's a lot of ambien folks walking around here. i get why they do it. we all have our weird sleep patterns on this shift. but there's a downside to everything. >> as always. as always. >> be careful. coming up next, when a celebrity tries to sell something for $24 million, the public usually takes notice. and turning a weatherman's bathroom accident into song and dance. we'll explain that next in "the skinny." "world news now" continues after this from our abc stations.
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♪ skinny, so skinny skinny in the house! >> yes, it is time for "the skinny." and kelly ripa, who you know i just love. >> new jersey girl. >> is putting her new york penthouse on the market. she purchased it in 2005 for $9.1 million. however, she's selling it for $24.5 million.
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it's in soho but it is remarkable. two floors, five bathrooms, two home offices, a media room, a 2,500 square foot outdoor space, hot tub, outdoor kitchen and the living room has a central staircase, two dishwashers, two refrigerators, home gym, powder room, library and roof deck. and you can have that for $24.5 million. and get this, rob, the apartment is being sold by two brokers, one of which is raphael de niro, son of robert de niro. so it's just all celebrity, celebrity, celebrity. >> ever think sometimes we got the wrong job in television? >> i think about it often. >> nice investment there. oh, man. she's doing well. >> we'll see if she gets it. you can ask for anything. >> it's new york. you never know. she could get it tomorrow. also you can't be a fan of tv sitcoms and not love michael j. fox.
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we remember him from "family ties" and we all know that he's been battling parkinson's for several years. but he's gotten the condition under control. 12 years after leaving "spin city" after retiring because of the illness, he's coming back. he's now 51 years old. he's coming back in a sitcom on nbc, set to play a busy husband and father of three who juggles his family, career and who is also battling parkinson's. so it's a little -- he's borrowing from his real life battles with the disease, as well. so he's looking forward to going back to his own show. we all love this guy. so welcome back. that should premiere in the fall of this year. so welcome back to tv, mr. michael j. fox. >> we'll be watching. al roker, who we do watch, he's the weatherman on nbc. on "today" show. remember he sort of said that after gastric bypass he had a little poop accident at the white house. he had to go commando because he thought he was passing gas and he passed a little bit more, which rob says it happens to a
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lot of people. i've never heard of that before. but they've now made a song out of it. take a listen. on youtube. ♪ i was panicky ♪ i was panicky >> you pooped in your pants? >> i pooped in my pants. ♪ come on, everybody, do the dukie dance ♪ >> you pooped in your pants, you pooped in your pants. >> break it down, al, break it down. real quick here, justin bieber is going to host "saturday night live" february 9 and he's told the writers that have as much fun as you want because he's been spotted enjoying a little of the green stuff, shall we say. just being high on life. so he's saying no holds barred, "snl" writers have fun with my penchant for a little mary jane so should be an entertaining show for the young biebs. ng
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show for the young biebs. can help you get there. iclone) like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta.
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but kate -- still looks like...kate. nice'n easy with colorblend technology gives expert highlights and lowlights. for color that's true to you. i don't know how she does it. with nice'n easy, all they see is you.
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♪ let's get it on ♪ oh, baby ♪ let's get it on that sets the mood for the weekend, does it not? you feeling good, willis? >> that's the mood, baby. >> as always, another very busy week in the news. >> there were some new beginnings and happy returns. but it was the return of a very unwelcome outbreak that tops our friday rewind. >> it's been an epidemic. it's been huge and there have been a lot of admissions from the flu, more than ever. >> one minute, i'm 1,000 degrees, sweating to death. the next minute i'm 4 degrees, freezing to death, wishing i was dead. >> he would be the first person of enlisted rank to serve as secretary of defense. one of the few secretaries wounded in war. the first vietnam veteran to
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lead the department. >> i will always do my best. i will do my best for our country, for those i represent at the pentagon, and for all our citizens. >> chuck hagel bucked the republican party establishment opposing the war in iraq. >> this is an in your face nomination by the president to all of us who are supportive of israel. >> he literally built and then led the national counterterrorism center. >> leading the agency in which i served for 25 years would be the greatest privilege, as well as the greatest responsibility of my professional life. >> i have people running out of the theater that were shot. >> it's like you almost have to face the devil, you know? as opposed to saying i don't want to know. >> you have a gun? >> yes. >> you still have a glock? >> yes. >> we're both gun owners. we are strong supporters of the second amendment. >> welcome back to work. >> thank you, matt. i have to say, matt, i missed
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you all. i wouldn't say that under normal circumstances. >> why would you do this to my new desk? what is wrong with you? >> it's out with the old, in with the new. we're going with 11:30. >> but this is -- this is the -- this was the new desk. >> jimmy had a very good week. also coming up this weekend, the global no pants subway day. so folks will be on the subway here in new york without their pants on. yesterday, 4,000 people took place. >> no, no. >> be careful where you sit on the subway. and it is national hot tottie day. for all you flu sufferers out there. >> nice. >> so bottoms up. enjoy. more from abc next. this is abc's "world news now" informing insomniacs for two decades. with us for "good
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morning america." have a great friday.
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good morning. it is a fierce friday, from mother nature. >> a punishing storm is making its way out of california, stretching all the way to the great lakes. more than a dozen states in the crosshairs. we have the very latest forecast. developing overnight, the accused aurora theater gunman will stand trial. a judge ruling there is enough evidence to try him for that infamous shooting spree. double trouble. flu vaccines are scarce for some this season, as another virus, not the flu, spreads worldwide. and oscar's youngest nominee. the 9-year-old who is the talk of tinseltown, taking home a trophy last night. reading her speech off her bright pink phone. good friday morning,

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